Conflicts to Come

1 “In the afirst° year° of Darius° the Mede°, II arose° to be IIan encouragement° and a protection° for him.
2 And now° I will tell° you the atruth°. Behold°, three° more° kings° are going to arise°Iin Persia°. Then a fourth° will gain° far° more° riches° than° all° [of them]; as soon as he becomes strong° through his riches°, IIhe will arouse° the whole° [empire] against the realm° of IIIbGreece°.
3 And a amighty° king° will arise°, and he will rule° with great° authority° and bdo° as he pleases°.
4 But as soon as he has arisen°, his kingdom° will be broken° up and parceled° out atoward the bfour°Ipoints° of the compass°, though not to his [own] descendants°, nor° according to his authority° which° he wielded°, for his sovereignty° will be cuprooted° and [given] to others° besides°°IIthem.

5 ¶ “Then the aking° of the South° will grow° strong°, Ialong with [one] of his princes°IIwho will gain° ascendancy° over° him and obtain° dominion°; his domain° [will be] a great° dominion° [indeed].
6 After° some years° they will form° an alliance°, and the daughter° of the king° of the South° will come° to the aking° of the North° to carry° out Ia peaceful° arrangement°. But she will not retain° her IIposition° of power°, nor° will he remain° with his IIIpower°, but she will be given° up, along with those who brought° her in and the one who sired° her as well as he who supported° her in [those] times°.
7 But one of the Idescendants° of her line° will arise° in his place°, and he will come° against° [their] army° and enter° the afortress° of the king° of the North°, and he will deal° with them and display° [great] strength°.
8 Also° their agods° with their Imetal° images° [and] their precious° vessels° of silver° and gold° he will take° into captivity° to Egypt°, and he on his part° will IIrefrain° from [attacking] the king° of the North° for [some] years°.
9 Then Ithe latter will enter° the realm° of the king° of the South°, but will return° to his [own] land°.

10 ¶ “His sons° will Imobilize° and assemble° a multitude° of great° forces°; and one of them will keep° on coming° and aoverflow° and pass° through°, that he may IIagain° wage° war° up to his [very] fortress°.
11 The aking° of the South° will be enraged° and go° forth° and fight°Iwith the king° of the North°. Then the latter will raise° a great° multitude°, but [that] multitude° will be given° into IIthe hand° of the [former].
12 When the multitude° is carried° away, his heart° will be lifted° up, and he will cause tens° of thousands° to fall°; yet he will not prevail°.
13 For the king° of the North° will again° raise° a greater° multitude° than° the former°, and Iafter° an ainterval°° of some° years° he will IIpress° on with a great° army° and much° equipment°.

14 ¶ “Now in those° times° many° will rise° up against° the king° of the South°; the violent° ones°° among your people° will also lift° themselves up in order to fulfill° the vision°, but they will Ifall° down°.
15 Then the king° of the North° will come°, cast° up a asiege° ramp° and capture° a well-fortified° city°; and the forces° of the South° will not stand° [their ground], not even Itheir choicest° troops°, for there° will be no° strength° to make° a stand°.
16 But he who comes° against° him will ado° as he pleases°, and bno° one° will [be able to] withstand°° him; he will also stay° [for a time] in the IcBeautiful° Land°, with destruction° in his hand°.
17 He will aset° his face° to come° with the power° of his whole° kingdom°, Ibringing with him IIa proposal° of peace° which he will put° into effect°; he will also give° him the daughter° of women° to ruin° it. But she will not take° a stand° [for him] or be IIIon his side.
18 Then he will turn° his face° to the acoastlands° and capture° many°. But a commander° will put° a stop° to his scorn° against him; moreover°, he will brepay° him for his scorn°.
19 So he will turn° his face° toward the fortresses° of his own land°, but he will astumble° and fall° and be bfound° no° more.

20 ¶ “Then in his place° one will arise° who will asend° an Ioppressor° through° the IIJewel° of [his] kingdom°; yet within a few° days° he will be shattered°, though not in anger° nor° in battle°.
21 In his place° a despicable° person will arise°, on whom the honor° of kingship° has not been conferred°, but he will come° in a time° of tranquility° and aseize° the kingdom° by intrigue°.
22 The overflowing°aforces° will be flooded° away° before°° him and shattered°, and also° the prince° of the covenant°.
23 After° an alliance° is made° with him he will practice° deception°, and he will go° up and gain° power° with a small° [force of] people°.
24IIn a time° of tranquility° he will enter° the arichest° [parts] of the IIrealm°, and he will accomplish° what° his fathers° never° did°, nor° his IIIancestors°; he will distribute° plunder°, booty° and possessions° among them, and he will devise° his schemes° against° strongholds°, but [only] for a time°.
25 He will stir° up his strength° and Icourage° against° the aking° of the South° with a large° army°; so the king° of the South° will mobilize° an extremely°° large° and mighty° army° for war°; but he will not stand°, for schemes° will be devised° against° him.
26 Those who eat° his choice° food° will Idestroy° him, and his army° will IIaoverflow°, but many° will fall° down° slain°.
27 As for both° kings°, their hearts° will be [intent] on aevil°, and they will bspeak° lies° [to each other] at the same° table°; but it will not succeed°, for the cend° is still° [to come] at the appointed° time°.
28 Then he will return° to his land° with much°Iplunder°; but his heart° will be [set] against° the holy° covenant°, and he will take° action° and [then] return° to his [own] land°.

29 ¶ “At the appointed° time° he will return° and come° into the South°, but Ithis last° time° it will not turn° out the way it did before°.
30 For ships° of IaKittim° will come° against him; therefore he will be disheartened° and will return° and become° enraged° at the holy° covenant° and take° action°; so he will come° back° and show° regard° for those who forsake° the holy° covenant°.
31 Forces° from him will arise°, adesecrate° the sanctuary° fortress°, and do° away° with the regular° sacrifice°. And they will set° up the babomination°Iof desolation°.
32 By asmooth° [words] he will Iturn° to godlessness° those who act° wickedly° toward the covenant°, but the people° who know° their God° will display°bstrength° and take° action°.
33IaThose who have° insight° among the people° will give° understanding° to the many°; yet they will bfall° by sword° and by flame°, by captivity° and by plunder° for [many] days°.
34 Now when they fall° they will be granted° a little° help°, and many° will ajoin° with them in bhypocrisy°.
35 Some° of Ithose who have° insight° will fall°, in order to arefine°, bpurge° and make° them IIcpure° until° the dend° time°; because° [it is] still° [to come] at the appointed° time°.

36 ¶ “Then the king° will ado° as he pleases°, and he will exalt° and bmagnify° himself above° every° god° and will cspeak°Imonstrous° things° against° the dGod° of gods°; and he will prosper° until° the eindignation° is finished°, for that which is fdecreed° will be done°.
37 He will show° no° regard° for the Igods° of his fathers° or for the desire° of women°, nor° will he show° regard° for any° [other] god°; for he will magnify° himself above° [them] all°.
38 But Iinstead°° he will honor° a god° of fortresses°, a god° whom° his fathers° did not know°; he will honor° [him] with gold°, silver°, costly° stones° and treasures°.
39 He will take° action° against the strongest° of fortresses° with [the help of] a foreign° god°; he will give° great° honor° to Ithose who° acknowledge° [him] and will cause them to rule° over the many°, and will parcel° out land° for a price°.

40 ¶ “At the aend° time° the bking° of the South° will collide° with him, and the cking° of the North° will dstorm° against° him with chariots°, with horsemen° and with many° ships°; and he will enter° countries°, eoverflow° [them] and pass° through°.
41 He will also enter° the IaBeautiful° Land°, and many° [countries] will fall°; but these° will be rescued° out of his hand°: Edom°, bMoab° and the foremost° of the sons° of cAmmon°.
42 Then he will stretch° out his hand° against [other] countries°, and the land° of Egypt° will not escape°.
43 But he will Igain° control° over the hidden° treasures° of gold° and silver° and over all° the precious° things° of Egypt°; and aLibyans° and bEthiopians° [will follow] at his IIheels°.
44 But rumors° from the East° and from the North° will disturb° him, and he will go° forth° with great° wrath° to destroy° and Iannihilate° many°.
45 He will pitch° the tents° of his royal° pavilion° between° the seas° and the beautiful°aHoly° Mountain°; yet he will come° to his end°, and no° one° will help° him.

The overthrow of Persia by the king of Grecia.

1 ¶ Also I² in the firstº yearº of Dariusº the Mede,º [even] I, stood¹² to confirmºª and to strengthenº him. 2 And now² will I shewºª thee the truth.º Behold,² there shall stand upºª yet² threeº kingsº in Persia;º and the fourthº shall be far¹ richerºª²² than [they] all:¹²² and by his strengthº through his richesº he shall stir upºª all² against² the realmº of Grecia.º3 And a mightyº kingº shall stand up,ºª that shall ruleºª with greatº dominion,º and doºª according to his will.º4 And when he shall stand up,ºª his kingdomº shall be broken,ºª and shall be dividedºª toward the fourº windsº of heaven;º and not² to his posterity,º nor² according to his dominionº which² he ruled:ºª for² his kingdomº shall be plucked up,ºª even for othersº beside²² those.²

Leagues and conflicts between the kings of the south and the north.

5 ¶ And the kingº of the southº shall be strong,ºª and [one] of² his princes;º and he shall be strongºª above² him, and have dominion;ºª his dominion¹² [shall be] a greatº dominion.º6 And in the endº of yearsº they shall join themselves together;ºª for the king'sº daughterº of the southº shall comeºª to² the kingº of the northº to makeºª an agreement:º but she shall not² retainºª the powerº of the arm;º neither² shall he stand,ºª nor his arm:º but she² shall be given up,ºª and they that broughtºª her, and he that begatºª her, and he that strengthenedºª her in [these] times.º7 But out of a branchº² of her rootsº shall [one] stand upºª in his estate,º which shall comeºª with² an army,º and shall enterºª into the fortressº of the kingº of the north,º and shall dealºª against them, and shall prevail:ºª8 And shall also² carryºª captivesº into Egyptº their gods,º with² their princes,º [and] with² their preciousº vesselsº of silverº and of gold;º and he² shall continueºª [more] yearsº than the kingº² of the north.º9 So the kingº of the southº shall comeºª into [his] kingdom,º and shall returnºª into² his own land.º10 But his sonsº shall be stirred up,ºª and shall assembleºª a multitudeº of greatº forces:º and [one] shall certainly¹ª come,ºª and overflow,ºª and pass through:ºª then shall he return,ºª and be stirred up,ºª [even] to² his fortress.º11 And the kingº of the southº shall be moved with choler,ºª and shall come forthºª and fightºª with² him, [even] with² the kingº of the north:º and he shall set forthºª a greatº multitude;º but the multitudeº shall be givenºª into his hand.º12 [And] when he hath taken awayºª the multitude,º his heartº shall be lifted up;ºªªª and he shall cast downºª [many] ten thousands:º but he shall not² be strengthenedºª [by it]. 13 For the kingº of the northº shall return,ºª and shall set forthºª a multitudeº greaterº than² the former,º and shall certainly¹ª comeºª afterº certainº yearsº with a greatº armyº and with muchº riches.º14 And in those² timesº there shall manyº stand upºª against² the kingº of the south:º also the robbersºº of thy peopleº shall exalt¹ª themselves² to establishºª the vision;º but they shall fall.ºª15 So the kingº of the northº shall come,ºª and cast upºª a mount,º and takeºª the most fencedº cities:º and the armsº of the southº shall not² withstand,ºª neither his chosenº people,º neither² [shall there be any] strengthº to withstand.ºª16 But he that comethºª against² him shall doºª according to his own will,º and none² shall standºª beforeº him: and he shall standºª in the gloriousº land,º which by his handº shall be consumed.¹²17 He shall also setºª his faceº to enterºª with the strengthº of his whole² kingdom,º and upright onesº with² him; thus shall he do:ºª and he shall giveºª him the daughterº of women,º corruptingºª her: but she shall not² standºª [on his side], neither² be² for him. 18 After this shall he turnº¹ªªª his faceº unto the isles,º and shall takeºª many:º but a princeº for his own behalf shall cause the reproachº offered by him to cease;ºª withoutº his own reproachº he shall cause [it] to turnºª upon him. 19 Then he shall turnºª his faceº toward the fortº of his own land:º but he shall stumbleºª and fall,ºª and not² be found.ºª20 Then shall stand upºª in² his estateº a raiserºª of taxesºª [in] the gloryº of the kingdom:º but within fewº daysº he shall be destroyed,ºª neither² in anger,º nor² in battle.º21 And in² his estateº shall stand upºª a vile person,ºª to² whom they shall not² giveºª the honourº of the kingdom:º but he shall come¹ª in² peaceably,º and obtainºª the kingdomº by flatteries.º22 And with the armsº of a floodº shall they be overflownºª from beforeº² him, and shall be broken;ºª yea, also² the princeº of the covenant.º23 And after² the leagueºª [made] with² him he shall workºª deceitfully:º for he shall come up,ºª and shall become strongºª with a smallº people.º24 He shall enterºª peaceablyº even upon the fattest placesº of the province;º and he shall doºª [that] which² his fathersº have not² done,ºª nor his fathers'º fathers;º he shall scatterºª among them the prey,º and spoil,º and riches:º [yea], and he shall forecastºª his devicesº against² the strong holds,º even for² a time.º25 And he shall stir upºª his powerº and his courageº against² the kingº of the southº with a greatº army;º and the kingº of the southº shall be stirred upºª to battleº with a veryº² greatº and mightyº army;º but he shall not² stand:ºª for² they shall forecastºª devicesº against² him. 26 Yea, they that feedºª of the portion of his meatº shall destroyºª him, and his armyº shall overflow:ºª and manyº shall fall¹ª down² slain.º27 And bothº these kings'º heartsº [shall be] to do mischief,ºª¹ and they shall speakºª liesº at² oneº table;º but it shall not² prosper:ºª for² yet² the endº [shall be] at the time appointed.º28 Then shall he returnºª into his landº with greatº riches;º and his heartº [shall be] against² the holyº covenant;º and he shall doºª [exploits], and returnºª to his own land.º29 At the time appointedº he shall return,ºª and comeºª toward the south;º but it shall not² be² as the former,º or as the latter.º

The invasion and tyranny of the Romans.

30 ¶ For the shipsº of Chittimº shall comeºª against him: therefore he shall be grieved,ºª and return,ºª and have indignationºª against² the holyº covenant:º so shall he do;ºª he shall even return,ºª and have intelligenceºª with² them that forsakeºª the holyº covenant.º31 And armsº shall standºª on his part,² and they shall polluteºª the sanctuaryº of strength,º and shall take awayºª the dailyº [sacrifice], and they shall placeºª the abominationº that maketh desolate.ºª32 And such as do wickedly¹ª against² the covenantº shall he corruptºª by flatteries:º but the peopleº that do knowºª their Godº shall be strong,ºª and doºª [exploits]. 33 And they that understandºª among the peopleº shall instructºª many:º yet they shall fallºª by the sword,º and by flame,º by captivity,º and by spoil,º [many] days.º34 Now when they shall fall,ºª they shall be holpenºª with a littleº help:º but manyº shall cleaveºª to² them with flatteries.º35 And [some] of² them of understandingºª shall fall,ºª to tryºª them, and to purge,ºª and to make [them] white,ºª [even] to² the timeº of the end:º because² [it is] yet² for a time appointed.º36 And the kingº shall doºª according to his will;º and he shall exalt¹ª himself,² and magnify¹ª himself² above² every² god,º and shall speakºª marvellous thingsºª against² the Godº of gods,º and shall prosperºª till² the indignationº be accomplished:ºª for² that that is determinedºª shall be done.ºª37 Neither shall he regardºª²² the Godº of his fathers,º nor the desireº of women,º nor regard¹ª any²²² god:º for² he shall magnify¹ª himself² above² all.²38 But in² his estateº shall he honourºª the Godº of forces:º and a godº whom² his fathersº knewºª not² shall he honourºª with gold,º and silver,º and with preciousº stones,º and pleasant things.¹²39 Thus shall he doºª in the most strong¹ holdsº² with² a strangeº god,º whom² he shall acknowledgeºªªª [and] increaseºª with glory:º and he shall cause them to ruleºª over many,º and shall divideºª the landº for gain.º40 And at the timeº of the endº shall the kingº of the southº pushºª at² him: and the kingº of the northº shall come against him like a whirlwind,ºª² with chariots,º and with horsemen,º and with manyº ships;º and he shall enterºª into the countries,º and shall overflowºª and pass over.ºª41 He shall enterºª also into the gloriousº land,º and manyº [countries] shall be overthrown:ºª but these² shall escapeºª out of his hand,º² [even] Edom,º and Moab,º and the chiefº of the childrenº of Ammon.º42 He shall stretch forthºª his handº also upon the countries:º and the landº of Egyptº shall not² escape.º²43 But he shall have powerºª over the treasuresº of goldº and of silver,º and over all² the precious¹ things² of Egypt:º and the Libyansº and the Ethiopiansº [shall be] at his steps.º44 But tidingsº out of the eastº² and out of the northº² shall troubleºª him: therefore he shall go forthºª with greatº furyº to destroy,ºª and utterly to make awayºª many.º45 And he shall plantºª the tabernaclesº of his palaceº between² the seasº in the gloriousº holyº mountain;º yet he shall comeºª to² his end,º and none² shall helpºª him.